Following Leighton Academy’s most recent Ofsted inspection, which was conducted on the 14th and 15th February 2023, I am pleased to share the fantastic news that our academy has been graded ‘Good’.
We have received a ‘Good’ rating across all categories; an excellent achievement that is testament to all the hard work that has been done over the past three years since our last inspection. I am incredibly proud to be part of such an amazing team of staff at Leighton who deserve this recognition as a reflection of their hard work and dedication to the children at Leighton. I would encourage you to read the full report.
We were very pleased to see the school praised for having high expectations for children’s learning and behaviour, and that pupils feel happy and safe at our school. Alongside this, the Ofsted inspectors noted that teachers and leaders in our school have committed to ensuring that every single pupil, including children with SEND, have access to a well-thought out and well-delivered curriculum. Moreover, the report emphasised that the school successfully joins up extra-curricular activities with the wider curriculum, ensuring that pupils have the opportunity to learn through a range of approaches and making sure they have a wide range of enriching experiences.
A range of positive aspects of school life were praised, with additional highlights from the report including:
- The provision of reading education was particularly highlighted, with the inspector praising the emphasis the school puts on the subject as soon as children begin school. The inspector wrote “Leaders have ensured that there is a consistent approach to the teaching of early reading. All staff have been well trained to teach phonics….If pupils struggle with reading, leaders make sure that support is put into place quickly.”
- The school’s inclusive approach to learning was praised, with the report noting “Leaders work well with staff to ensure that pupils with SEND are identified early” and staff working hard to ensure that children with SEND can remain in the classroom and have access to the well-designed and well-delivered curriculum.
- Extra-curricular activities designed and implemented by the school are ambitious and add to their enjoyment of school whilst also being successful bridges to learning a wide range of subjects in an imaginative way, with a highlight being that as a school we “enrich the curriculum with visits overseas, linked to the modern foreign language that the pupils study”.
- Pupil wellbeing and mental health was also praised by the inspector, who found that pupils take a proactive approach to both their own and others feelings “Pupils take on extra responsibilities such as safeguarding team leaders, play leaders and sports councillors. They are caring and considerate towards others.”
- The report also highlighted that “Leaders’ approach to promoting pupils’ personal development is well thought out.” A top priority at Leighton Academy is to ensure that pupils receive a well-rounded education that sets them up for success in secondary school and beyond.
The report also recommended a series of constructive actions which we can adopt to continue the school’s positive upwards trajectory, and both senior leaders and staff at Leighton are already hard at work putting in place plans which will make these a reality.
Though we are of course incredibly pleased to be a ‘Good’ school, we remain determined to continue our journey of improvement, and are committed to providing every child with the best possible education.
Mrs Thompson